By Brendan Rees
Sustainable Australia MP Clifford Hayes has added his voice to calls for the State Government to sack Casey Council – which has been embroiled in one of Victoria’s biggest alleged corruption investigation.
The Southern Metropolitan Region MP flagged his intention to present the motion to state parliament on Thursday 6 February.
It comes as Shadow Local Government Minister Tim Smith and Liberal MP for Gembrook Brad Battin have also called for Casey Council to be dismissed.
‘The revelations during the Casey Council corruption saga are disgraceful; they are an ugly stain on Victoria’s integrity and reputation,” Mr Clifford said.
“I’m not one for sacking Councils, but Casey should be sacked – and you have to wonder why it hasn’t happened already”.
The motion will also call on the Government to introduce legislation to ban donations to political parties, sitting politicians, state and municipal candidates entirely.
Under the State Government’s “strictest political donation laws in Australia”, entities are still allowed to donate up to $1000 or $4000 over a four-year term.
Thirdly, the motion will set out to ensure that property developers cannot provide direct or indirect financial support or gifts to Members of Parliament, councillors, planning staff, or their families – eliminating loopholes that have been abused by both major parties in recent years.
One of the key players in the alleged scandal is former Casey mayor Sam Aziz, who sold his home and fled to Egypt last November before the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) began its public hearings. It’s alleged Cr Aziz pocketed $900,000 from a developer in exchange for favourable planning decisions.
It’s understood Cr Aziz has remained overseas – with Casey Council also refusing to answer questions of his whereabouts at a public meeting in January.
Cr Aziz was granted leave until December 31 however at a council meeting on 4 February Casey mayor Susan Serey said council had no choice but to grant a request for further extension of paid leave until 31 March based on medical grounds.
“Council, having considered the medical advice provided by Cr Aziz in support of his application, as well as the legal advice which has reiterated our obligation to not unreasonably refuse leave, believe we had no alternative to do otherwise,” Cr Serey said.
Cr Serey said the decision “had not been made lightly” and was obligated under the Local Government Act “to not unreasonably refuse leave”.
It’s understood Cr Aziz threatened legal action as Cr Serey said at the meeting there was “potentially other serious legal implications for the City of Casey and its ratepayers” if his leave was not granted.
Hours after the meeting, Cr Aziz took to Facebook to say he had detailed medical reports and not “just a medical certificate,” adding he had “every intention of returning to duty, and as soon as I can”.
A monitor appointed to examine governance at the City of Casey was due to report to the Minister for Local Government Adem Somyurek on 31 January but was given an extension until 11 February.
“I will carefully consider the report to determine if any further intervention is warranted at the council, and respond in due course,” Mr Somyurek said.
Meanwhile, Cr Rosalie Crestani said the IBAC investigation should be respected and any motion calling for council to be sacked would be “premature” and “everyone should be accessible” to a “fair process”.
